News Release Archives

Communities give thumbs up to local council disaster response

News Release

Tuesday, 18 February 2014

Communities give thumbs up to local council disaster response

The performances of local councils thrust into the frontline to defend their communities from the ravages of recent floods and cyclones have been given a big tick of approval from their communities, according to the results of a detailed survey.

The study found that more than 65 percent of people surveyed who had endured a natural disaster event rated the performance of their council in managing the disaster as either 'excellent' or 'good'.

Commissioned by the Local Government Association of Queensland, the survey found overwhelming support across the state for the way local councils managed recent disasters.

The result was a big improvement on the findings of earlier surveys and suggests that most people are satisfied with the way in which councils go about handling such events.

LGAQ President Margaret de Wit said the findings showed councils deserved praise for the way they helped communities respond to disasters.

'There is now no doubt that local councils are best placed to take the lead and respond efficiently and effectively to disasters affecting their communities,' she said.

Local governments across Queensland have been hit hard by an unprecedented spate of flooding and cyclone events in recent years, prompting major reviews of the way authorities go about managing disasters.

The survey was conducted by research company Market Facts as part of a long time regular study of community satisfaction with the performance of local councils in Queensland.

It found that nearly 75 percent people supported the notion that tougher rules were needed to govern rebuilding in flood affected and cyclone prone areas.

Most of those surveyed also supported their council's efforts to improve protection of people and property from natural disasters, including in the area of disaster preparedness.